NFL's top 25 games of 2024

Wed May 15 2:01pm ET
Field Level Media

Christmas Day for NFL marketing and ticket sales departments finally arrived Wednesday with the release of the 2024 season schedule.

With subplots and peripheral angles multiplying before our eyes - hello, Netflix, welcome to NFL holiday football broadcasts - Field Level Media's football-minded contributors assembled the top 25 games of 2024.

24. Cardinals at Jets, TBD: We're grabbing our popcorn for one matchup, and one matchup alone: Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner. Top five draft picks likely to be near the top of the pecking order at their position for a decade.

23. Colts at Patriots, TBD: Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft, meet Anthony Richardson, drafted fourth overall in 2023. Indianapolis appeared to have a hit on its hands before Richardson was shut down to undergo shoulder surgery. If he can stay healthy and Maye isn't relegated to clipboard duty behind former Colts starter Jacoby Brissett, we're eager to make early evaluations of purported franchise QBs.

22. Jaguars at Eagles, TBD: Young QBs and strong pass rush are common bonds, sure, but the plotline we're looking at is the reception for Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson. He played for the Eagles (1999) but was essentially a coach-in-training for Donovan McNabb, then served as an assistant for Andy Reid and came back from a stint in KC for a five-year run that included a Super Bowl.

21. Bears at Texans, TBD: The Bears also get a meeting with the Carolina Panthers for the second consecutive season. With all due respect to Panthers 2023 No. 1 pick Bryce Young, the top rookie quarterback last season was Houston's C.J. Stroud. His numbers would have been the best ever single-season passing total for a Bears QB (4,108 to Erik Kramer's team record of 3,803). Stroud had 26 TD passes including the playoffs despite missing time with a concussion). The Bears hitched their wagon to No. 1 pick Caleb Williams with the rookie carrying massive talent - and expectations - in Year 1.

20. Vikings at Giants, TBD: All of the QB uncertainty one can handle on the undercard, LSU products Justin Jefferson (Vikings) and Malik Nabers (Giants) in the main event.

19. 49ers at Seahawks, TBD: Maybe you overlooked it. There's not a chance Brock Purdy did. He knows new Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald's defense - that of the Ravens - had him seeing ghosts in a five-interception laugher on Christmas Night last season. Macdonald's new club has a bunch of cross-training chess pieces determined to unseat the 49ers from the NFC West perch.

18. Jets at 49ers, Sept. 9: Week 1 on "Monday Night Football" is a familiar refrain for the Jets, who are hoping Aaron Rodgers has some magic left following a season-ending injury four snaps into his first start with the team in 2023. Rodgers is local - Chico, Calif., Butte JC and Cal - and went 6-3 against the 49ers with the Packers. Now 40 years old, he'll try to tip the scales toward the Jets, who are 3-11 all-time in the series with San Francisco. Jets head coach Robert Saleh has known 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan since breaking into the NFL as a low-level assistant with the Texans 15 years ago and was defensive coordinator on his staff before taking over with the Jets.

17. Cowboys at Commanders, TBD: Dan Quinn gets his second chance as a head coach in Washington and to be the champ in the NFC East, he'll have to take down his previous employer and boss, the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy. Given the amount of time Quinn spent with McCarthy and Dak Prescott, don't discount the level of concern the Cowboys have entering two games with Washington.

16. Eagles vs. Packers (Brazil), Sept. 6: The youngest roster in the NFL last season belonged to the Packers, and nobody can fault what Green Bay did in the offseason. Head coach Matt LaFleur debuts his offense with Josh Jacobs at running back and a new-look defense. It'll also be a big reveal game for the Eagles, unleashing their own big-ticket offseason item, Saquon Barkley, and a number of new faces on defense.

15. Falcons at Vikings, TBD: Welcome back, Kirk Cousins, congratulations on finding a team that didn't want to invest in a young quarterback to insure its $100M guarantee to a 35-year-old starter coming off an Achilles injury. Oops. Cousins could be hailed or hated for bailing on the Vikings in free agency following 50 regular-season wins in six seasons of Skol-ing.

14. Ravens at Chargers, TBD: Los Angeles and new hire Jim Harbaugh welcome John Harbaugh and the Ravens with entertainment expected to be rich before, during and after a matchup of AFC heavyweights. John Harbaugh won the last meeting and survived a brief power outage at the Super Bowl in New Orleans to take home the Lombardi and deal Jim's 49ers a painful defeat.

13. Steelers at Broncos, Week 2: Revenge games bring out the spirit and emotion you might not otherwise find in games that don't include Mike Tomlin. Pittsburgh picked up Russell Wilson after he was scrapped at a cost north of $80 million to Denver by second-year head coach Sean Payton. Payton, of course, is still in town and brought in a rookie, Oregon's Bo Nix, to train in the system that helped make Drew Brees a legend. Don't look now, but Pittsburgh had a sneaky excellent offseason while the Broncos shed leaders and linchpins on both sides of the ball (Wilson, Justin Simmons, Jerry Jeudy). If reunions are your thing, Payton also heads back to New Orleans this season.

12. Jets at Bills, Week 17: We know they'll get an earlier go at each other on "Monday Night Football" In October, but let's give the season time to breath and Aaron Rodgers time to round back into form. He'll be recently removed from his 41st birthday but should know the names of all of his wide receivers, a task Josh Allen might need more time to complete.

11. Ravens at Cowboys, TBD: Dak Prescott was great at home last season and Dallas fortified the offensive line through the draft. Whether new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has an answer for mobile quarterbacks - namely Lamar Jackson - might be the hot-button issue for the Cowboys. Baltimore's No. 1-ranked defense in 2023 also traveled well last season, battering Brock Purdy, Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert and limiting those three teams to a combined 36 points in Ravens' road wins.

10. 49ers at Packers, Nov. 24: Week 12 and the start of a pivotal, NFC-dominated, primetime featured stretch for Green Bay with nighttime marquee matchups at Detroit (Week 14) and Seattle (Week 15) ahead. Jordan Love's two interceptions stopped the Packers short of an upset at San Francisco in the divisional playoffs in January.

9. Texans at Cowboys, TBD: C.J. Stroud appears to be special and the Texans made sure his supporting cast wouldn't be a reason for a sophomore slump. But one warning: only the Bills and Patriots have a more difficult schedule based on 2023 results and offseason moves. Among the appealing underlying matchups: Houston wide receiver Stefon Diggs vs. Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs.

8. Bears at Packers, Jan. 5: The Week 18 finale was meaningful for Green Bay last season, and Jordan Love guided the Packers into the postseason to sweep the Bears and continue the trend Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers started. No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams makes his first foray into the likely frozen tundra. Will the Bears be playing for more than a spoiler token?

7. Dolphins at 49ers, TBD: It was Dec. 4, 2022, and far more meaningful than we knew at the time when a seventh-round rookie - 49ers QB Brock Purdy - made his first career start with two TD passes in a 33-17 home win over the Miami Dolphins. Back to the scene come the Dolphins with former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel a solid bet to share some unknown intel about old boss Kyle Shanahan in the game week buildup.

6. Ravens at Chiefs, Sept. 5: Had this one been bumped back a couple months to multiply the meaningfulness in the standings and AFC playoff picture, it had an angle on a top three game of the 2024 regular season. Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes remains must-see for all the right reasons.

5. 49ers at Bills, Dec. 4: The week-after-Thanksgiving primetime game on Sunday of Week 13 should be meaningful for teams with Super Bowl aspirations.

4. Rams at Lions, TBD: Two franchises on schedule to combine for more than $350 million in deposits into Jared Goff's bank account are back at it with Detroit out to duplicate their playoff win in January over one-time Lions QB Matthew Stafford.

3. Ravens at Eagles, TBD: Star power on display? Check-check. Potential Super Bowl preview? Sure thing. Saquon Barkley (Eagles) and Derrick Henry (Ravens) add firepower to a pair of offenses with explosive potential.

2. Lions at 49ers, TBD: Other than tackle eligible, think of another phrase that could spike Dan Campbell's temperature more than "at San Francisco." Didn't think so. The Lions were halfway to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl leading the 49ers handily in the NFC Championship but coughed up a 17-point lead and bowed out of the playoffs in a 34-31 defeat instead. If Campbell circled this game on the schedule in ink, we're guessing you can't read it.

1. (tie) Chiefs at 49ers, TBD: Familiar enough to be rivals, the Chiefs left with the jewels in recent games that really mattered between teams with a combined 50-18 record the past two regular seasons. San Francisco took a lashing from the Chiefs, 44-23, at home in Oct. 23 before the dawning of the Brock Purdy era.

1. (tie) Bengals at Chiefs, TBD: Don't forget Joe Burrow, he's more than the highest-paid player in 2024. The Bengals quarterback is 3-1 against the Chiefs but was sidelined with a broken wrist when the teams played in 2023. Don't look for a warm reception in Kansas City, where fans aren't soon to forget Burrow's boys calling the Chiefs' stadium "Burrow-head" based on his success at the home of Patrick Mahomes.

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The Paur Report

Starts, Sits, Sleepers: Week 11

Player Notes
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine Nov 14 10:00pm CT
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has played a lot of snaps since the injury to Tyreek Hill (knee), but he hasn't turned that into much production. His snap share also dropped a little bit last week against the Bills, even though he still played 47% of snaps, the second-most of any receiver on the team. In that game, Westbrook-Ikhine only had one catch for seven yards and has only had four catches in the last three weeks combined. He's in a favorable matchup early on Sunday morning against the Commanders, but he's not getting enough work to be a regular contributor in most fantasy formats. He's the WR83 in RotoBaller's Week 11 rankings.

From RotoBaller

David Montgomery Nov 14 10:00pm CT
David Montgomery

Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery rushed for an efficient 71 yards on 15 carries in a Week 10 win over the Washington Commanders, but he failed to score a touchdown for the third time in his last four games. The result was a modest fantasy performance for Montgomery, which will likely be the case every week that he fails to find the end zone. Montgomery has just 14 receptions across nine games this season, as fellow Lions back Jahmyr Gibbs is the clear receiving threat in Detroit's backfield. In Week 11, Montgomery and the Lions will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles. While the Eagles' defense is a tough unit to score on overall, it is tied for the sixth-most rushing touchdowns allowed (11) in the NFL so far this season. If the Detroit offense can work its way into goal-to-go situations, Montgomery could have a decent chance to hit pay dirt. He profiles as a low-end fantasy RB2 in Week 11 against Philadelphia.

From RotoBaller

Greg Dulcich Nov 14 10:00pm CT
Greg Dulcich

Miami Dolphins tight end Greg Dulcich has taken over as the team's primary receiving tight end with Darren Waller (pectoral) on IR and Julian Hill (ankle) missing the last three weeks. Even with Hill ready to return this week, Dulcich should stay involved. Dulcich caught five passes on five targets for 49 yards in Week 9 against the Ravens, but he only managed one catch for 22 yards on four targets in Week 10. He's getting enough looks to be a deep-league sleeper against the Commanders, who have been a top-10 matchup for tight ends this season. However, he's still in a struggling offense with a volatile role, so he's only the TE26 in RotoBaller's rankings this week, making him a tough option to count on in the Dolphins' Sunday morning matchup in Madrid.

From RotoBaller

Malik Washington Nov 14 9:50pm CT
Malik Washington

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington found the end zone for the second time in the last three weeks on Sunday against the Bills, and he caught multiple passes for the eighth week in a row. He has a good matchup against the Commanders this week, but his yardage totals have been underwhelming in the Dolphins' conservative passing scheme. While Washington has 30 catches, he only has 192 yards this year, and last week, he only had nine yards on his two catches. He saved his fantasy week with a touchdown against the Bills, but this week he's the No. 52 wide receiver in RotoBaller's rankings, even against the Commanders, who give up the third-most fantasy points to receivers. The Dolphins haven't given him many chances for big plays, although his volume of targets and catches does make him a deep league option to monitor.

From RotoBaller

Darius Cooper Nov 14 9:50pm CT
Darius Cooper

Philadelphia Eagles rookie wide receiver Darius Cooper (shoulder) was listed as a full practice participant on Friday's injury report and appears to be good to go for Sunday's game against the Lions. Cooper saw his snap count decrease from a career-high 26 down to 11 between his last two games, and once again failed to get any targets in his most recent showing against the Packers. Philly has not turned to their first-year undrafted rookie yet and has plenty of preferred weapons in front of him. Cooper is still best left off of rosters until he proves to have any worth in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Goedert Nov 14 9:50pm CT
Dallas Goedert

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert's six targets were second-most for his team in their last game, trailing only behind DeVonta Smith who had seven. Unfortunately for Goedert, this was his third game of the season in which he did not score a touchdown, and he has relied heavily on finding the end zone to have real fantasy production. He'll look to get back to his scoring ways this week against the Lions, whose defense allows the 13th-least amount of fantasy points to tight ends this year. In two of Detroit's last four games, the leading receiver for the opposing team has been a tight end (Cade Otton and Travis Kelce), which poses some promise for Goedert heading into Sunday Night Football. It feels like starting him boils down to taking the gamble on whether or not he finds pay dirt, but he still does it more often than not. He's a low-end TE1 in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Jahmyr Gibbs Nov 14 9:50pm CT
Jahmyr Gibbs

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs dominated the Washington Commanders in Week 10, recording 172 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns on 18 touches. He'll now face a significantly tougher test in Week 11 when the Lions travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles. The Eagles' defense is a mid-pack unit in yards per carry allowed (4.4). However, they rank in the top ten in the NFL in per-game opponent scoring (21.3 points per game). One possible boost for Gibbs' fantasy value in Week 11 is his potential for receiving work. The Lions will be without tight end Sam LaPorta (back) against Philadelphia, which could put Gibbs in position for more targets. Even in a tough matchup, Gibbs profiles as a must-start fantasy running back in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Jake Elliott Nov 14 9:50pm CT
Jake Elliott

Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott made his only extra point attempt and his only field goal attempt from 39 yards in his most recent performance against the Green Bay Packers. While Elliott found his accuracy again, he was not given enough opportunities to put up any significant fantasy numbers in a game that ended 10-7. This week he'll kick against the Detroit Lions, who allow just 22.2 points per game to opposing offenses. Elliott has only made multiple field goals in one game this season, and is best left off of rosters until he shows some more fantasy production.

From RotoBaller

Saquon Barkley Nov 14 9:40pm CT
Saquon Barkley

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has gone without a rushing touchdown in four of his last five games after Monday's 10-7 victory over the Packers. For a low-scoring game, however, Barkley did manage a decent fantasy outing with three catches for 41 yards and matched his season-high carry count with 22. On Sunday, he is faced with a Lions defense that allows the second-least amount of fantasy points to RBs this season, giving up just seven scores on the ground through nine games. In a game where the Eagles may need to play catch-up against a powerful Detroit offense, Barkley could also be in for less attempts if Philly has to rely on the passing game. While it's an uphill battle, he is the type of player that can dominate a game in any given week. Start Barkley as a solid RB1, but temper expectations ever so slightly.

From RotoBaller

Will Shipley Nov 14 9:40pm CT
Will Shipley

Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley set his season high for touches in a game last week against the Packers, carrying the ball four times and hauling in two catches. This resulted in 34 total yards, which is also his best in a single game this year. Philly's backfield has been tough to keep track of through the first 10 weeks, as Shipley, Tank Bigsby, and A.J. Dillon have rotated between the lead backup role behind Saquon Barkley. While Bigsby shined with over 100 rushing yards in Week 8, he got only 12.7% of offensive snaps against Green Bay compared to Shipley's 19%. Regardless of who gets the bulk going forward, Shipley is best left out of lineups this week against the Lions and should be rostered as a handcuff at best.

From RotoBaller

Jared Goff Nov 14 9:40pm CT
Jared Goff

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff had one of his best games of the season in Week 10, completing 25 of 33 pass attempts for 320 yards and three touchdowns in a 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders. Goff now gets a significantly more challenging matchup in Week 11 when the Lions travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles. Through 10 weeks, Philadelphia has allowed the ninth-fewest passing yards (1,979) in the NFL, and they are tied with the Denver Broncos for the fewest passing touchdowns allowed (eight). To make matters worse, Goff will be without one of his top receiving weapons in tight end Sam LaPorta (back). If there's a reason for positivity about Goff's fantasy outlook in Week 11, it's the potential for pass volume. The Lions are underdogs against Philadelphia, and Goff is averaging 35 pass attempts per game in losses compared to 28 pass attempts per game in wins. Goff profiles as a fringe fantasy QB1 and a must-start quarterback in two QB formats in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Jaylen Waddle Nov 14 9:40pm CT
Jaylen Waddle

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle is in a great matchup in Spain this week as his team takes on the Commanders as part of the NFL International Series. Waddle caught five of his seven targets last week against the Bills and finished with 84 receiving yards and his fifth touchdown of the season. He has operated as the clear No. 1 receiver in Miami since Tyreek Hill's knee injury, and he has at least five catches and 80 yards in five of his last six games, including three touchdowns and a 100-yard performance. The Commanders have allowed the third-most fantasy points to receivers this season, and since he'll get so much attention from Tua Tagovailoa this week, Waddle checks in as the No. 13 WR in RotoBaller's rankings, making him a fringe WR1 and an excellent WR2 this week. He should be started in almost all formats.

From RotoBaller

A.J. Brown Nov 14 9:40pm CT
A.J. Brown

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown had another frustrating performance against the Packers, with his three targets being the least amount of looks he's gotten in a game since Week 1. The only grace Brown can be granted is that this was his first playing time since Week 7's meeting with the Vikings, so maybe his lower snap count of 77.8% and lack of production can be partially chalked up to injury recovery. Nevertheless, he has not been the stud fantasy player many expected him to be this season. The Green Bay game marked the fourth time in eight games that Brown has finished with less than 30 receiving yards this year. His upcoming contest is against the Lions, who allow the 12th-most fantasy points to WRs this season. He has proven that he still has boom potential, but his bust performances have made him a frightening lineup option. Consider him a low-end WR2 for a primetime face-off on Sunday night.

From RotoBaller

DeVonta Smith Nov 14 9:40pm CT
DeVonta Smith

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith is looking more and more like the true first option in the Philly passing game after outperforming and out-snapping A.J. Brown against the Packers. Smith has now led his team in receiving yards in five of their nine contests-including the last three in a row-while Brown has done so only once. In Week 11, the Lions travel to Lincoln Financial Field boasting a defense that has not allowed a 100-yard receiver in their last four games. Smith has put up more than 14 points in PPR formats in four of his last five performances, but he'll have his work cut out for him on Sunday night. His target numbers have gotten higher and more consistent after the first four weeks of the season, making him a more reliable WR2 for this week and the foreseeable future.

From RotoBaller

Jaylen Wright Nov 14 9:20pm CT
Jaylen Wright

Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright finally got some work in the team's backfield in Week 10 against the Bills, and he could again serve as De'Von Achane's backup in Week 11 against the Commanders in Madrid. Wright had a larger role since Ollie Gordon II was questionable with an injury and only played three snaps, but this week Gordon has no injury designation, even though he was limited in practice with an ankle injury. Wright took his five carries for 17 yards last week and now has 14 carries for 45 yards on the season. Achane is expected to take most of the work again this week, with Wright and Gordon possibly picking up a few carries as well. Wright doesn't bring much upside, though, even in this favorable matchup. He's only the RB 67 in RotoBaller's rankings, indicating that he's safe to leave on the waiver wire in almost all formats, even though it's worth watching whether he works ahead of Gordon again.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Hurts Nov 14 9:20pm CT
Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts saved what would have been an abysmal fantasy performance last week with a 36-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, but still had an overall disappointing night. This was Hurts' second game in a row with less than 200 passing yards, and he coughed up a fumble in the red zone on his first drive of the game. This week, he'll look to bounce back as the Lions come into town on Sunday Night Football. Detroit allows the 12th-least amount of passing yards per game this season (199.7), but they're also tied for the seventh-most passing touchdowns given up (18). While Philly and the Packers combined for just 17 points, this upcoming matchup is full of high-octane offensive juggernauts and is primed to be more of a shootout. Believe in Hurts to get back to his normal self as a trustworthy QB1 in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Ollie Gordon II Nov 14 9:10pm CT
Ollie Gordon II

Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II has been working through a knee injury and may have lost some playing time as a result. He has been limited in practice leading up to the Dolphins' Week 11 matchup against the Commanders in Madrid, but he does not have an injury designation this week. Last week, when he was listed as questionable, the rookie only played three snaps and had one carry, while Jaylen Wright played 10 snaps and had five carries. The two will continue to back up De'Von Achane, but since Achane is the focus of the offense, the work behind him is very limited. In Week 11, Gordon is the No. 52 RB in RotoBaller's rankings, leaving him buried on the bench or the waiver wire in all but the deepest formats.

From RotoBaller

Devon Achane Nov 14 9:00pm CT
Devon Achane

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane continues to be an elite performer regardless of matchup or his team's offensive struggles. Last week, he tore up the Bills for 174 rushing yards on 22 carries and added six catches for 51 more yards. He had a pair of rushing touchdowns, giving him nine scores in his 10 games this season. He's averaged 78.0 rushing yards and 32.5 receiving yards per game, and his heavy involvement as a receiver out of the backfield and home run potential on every touch make him a must-start option in all formats. The Commanders are a top-10 matchup for running backs, and in his smash spot in Spain on Sunday morning, Achane is the No. 2 RB in RotoBaller's Week 11 rankings.

From RotoBaller

Tua Tagovailoa Nov 14 8:50pm CT
Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led his team to a big win over the Bills last week, and he's in a favorable matchup this week against the Commanders in the early Sunday morning game from Madrid. Tua finished with 173 passing yards, two touchdowns, and still threw two interceptions. He has 17 touchdowns and 13 picks this year and has averaged 195 passing yards per game. Despite his struggles, he does have a good matchup against the Commanders, who have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. Tagovailoa is the QB23 in RotoBaller's rankings this week, making him a usable play in deep or two-quarterback leagues. However, he's still not a great starting play even with a little bit of recent success.

From RotoBaller

Hunter Long Nov 14 8:50pm CT
Hunter Long

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Hunter Long (hip, knee) has been ruled out ahead of the Week 11 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Long was limited in practice this week, but that won't be enough to get him on the field this weekend. Long will miss his second straight game, which is bad news with Brenton Strange (quad) still sidelined. That means, Johnny Mundt and Quintin Morris will be the primary tight ends this weekend. Neither player offers viable streaming value for this Week 11 matchup.

From RotoBaller